On May 21, 1883, Mayer Hahn, sheriff of Craven County, deeded Joseph L. Hahn the same 371 acres at Butler’s Ford in Township No. 1, listed to Charles Roach, for two dollars. Craven County had bought the land at the 1881 tax sale, and when it was not redeemed, the county commissioners ordered it sold again; Joseph L. Hahn bought it at the courthouse on May 7, 1883. No courses or neighbors are given.
The witness was Geo. S. Smith. The deed was never proved or registered. A note up the margin, dated January 8, 1886, transfers Joseph L. Hahn’s right and interest in the deed, apparently to Charles Roach [?]. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Sheriff’s deed from Mayer Hahn, sheriff of Craven County, to Joseph L. Hahn, 371 acres at Butler’s Ford in Township No. 1 listed to Charles Roach, sold by order of the county commissioners, with Hahn’s 1886 transfer – 1883
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
State of North Carolina,
CRAVEN COUNTY.
Whereas, The Taxes assessed for the year 1880 on the following lands and tenements in said Craven County, to-wit: Three hundred and Seventy one (371) acres Land Situated on Butlers Ford Township No 1 and
listed to Charles Roach remained unpaid after the time limited by law, and were duly sold to pay said taxes and costs as required by law on the 1st day of August 1881, and purchased by the said Craven County, and whereas on the 1st day of January, A. D., 1883, said land not being redeemed the Board of Commissioners of Craven County ordered the Sheriff of said County to sell said land to the highest bidder, for Cash, and whereas said delinquent was duly notified, and said sale duly advertised, and Mayer Hahn, Sheriff of said Craven County, on the 7th day of May, 1883, at the Court House in said County sold said land at public auction, when and where Joseph L. Hahn became the purchaser at the price of Two — Dollars, and has paid said sum, and whereas the said Board of Commissioners has ordered and directed the said Sheriff to make a deed to the purchaser for said land in fee;
Now, Therefore, This Indenture Witnesseth, That the said Mayer Hahn, Sheriff, for and in consideration of the sum of Two — Dollars, to him in hand paid by the said Joseph L Hahn, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth grant, bargain and sell to the said Joseph L Hahn the above described lands and tenements.
To Have and to Hold the same to the said Joseph L Hahn his heirs and assigns in fee, in as full and ample a manner as he, the said Sheriff, is empowered by virtue of said orders and directions of said Board of Commissioners to assure the same.
In Testimony Whereof, The said Mayer Hahn, Sheriff, has hereunto set his hand and seal, the 21 day of May, 1883
Signed, Sealed and delivered in presence of
Geo S Smith
Mayer Hahn (Seal.)
Sheriff.
[The printed probate and registration certificates below are left blank.]
[Written up the left margin:]
For Value received this 8 day of Jan an [?] 1886 I transfer my right title & Interest to this deed [?] to Charles Roach [?]
Joseph L Hahn [?]
[Back, printed:]
DEED.
MAYER HAHN, Sheriff,
—TO—
Joseph L. Hahn
LAND SOLD
BY ORDER OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
[In pencil:]
15 26
1 52
16 78
To Cancel
no Right Title [?]
Macon Bryan
Chas Roach
No 1
About the original
This is a printed deed form with the blanks filled in by hand. It follows the 1881 tax deed in this folder: Craven County had bought the 371 acres listed to Charles Roach for 1880 taxes, and when no one redeemed the land, the county commissioners ordered it resold. Sheriff Mayer Hahn sold it on May 7, 1883, to Joseph L. Hahn for two dollars.
The deed was never proved or registered; the certificates at the bottom are blank.
The note up the left margin, dated January 8, 1886, transfers Joseph L. Hahn’s right and interest back. The third line and the signature are written over the printed text and are hard to read; “Charles Roach” and “Joseph L Hahn” are the most likely readings. On January 28, 1886, the 1879 and 1881 tax deeds were marked paid and cancelled.
The penciled figures on the back add the $15.26 from the 1881 sale to $1.52 for a total of $16.78. The penciled “To Cancel no Right Title” and “Macon Bryan” also appear on the back of the 1881 deed.
The paper does not say which Charles Roach this was. Mayer Hahn was sheriff of Craven County at the time; the paper does not say whether Joseph L. Hahn was related to him.
Source: Sheriff’s deed, Mayer Hahn to Joseph L. Hahn, land of Charles Roach, 21 May 1883. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder c (Land Records, 1728–1886). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fc.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View this item in ECU Digital Collections.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
